Denis Shapovalov

Denis Shapovalov won the First Prize at the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1998 and graduated from the Moscow State Conservatory. His performance at the World Cello Congress III is his American debut.

Prior to his victory in the Tchaikovsky competition, Mr. Shapovalov won numerous other awards. At 15 he received a prize from the New Names International Scholarship Program; in 1995 he won the Best Hope Prize at the International Chamber Music Competition in Melbourne, Australia; and was a prize-winner at the international festivals in Yalta - Stars of the Ukraine and New Names of the Crimea - in 1996 and 1997 respectively.

He is currently a soloist of the Moscow State Philharmonia concert organization, a collaborator in the Association of Contemporary Music in Moscow, a regular participant in recording projects for the Russian-French company Chant du Monde, and since 1997 has been a soloist of the internationally recognized Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Spivakov. In addition he has performed recently with symphony and chamber orchestras in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Japan, and made a concert recording for Radio France. This past summer he participated in international festivals in Russia, France, Italy and Germany.

Mr. Shapovalov was born in 1974 in the town of Tchaikovsky. He played He played his first solo concert with orchestra when he was 11, entered the Music College of the Moscow State Conservatory at 15, and began studies with Natalia Shakhovskaya at the conservatory in 1993.